Iron manager Mark Robins credited the efforts of his side following their 2-0 defeat to high-flying Bristol City at Glanford Park on Saturday.
The hosts’ chances of taking anything from the game were effectively ended in the opening 42 minutes when both Sam Slocombe and replacement goalkeeper James Severn were forced off the pitch with broken arms.Despite that, United battled bravely against the odds as defender Andrew Boyce donned the gloves, and only saw their defeat confirmed with five minutes remaining when Luke Freeman scored City’s second goal of the afternoon.
Such a spirited performance in the face of adversity ensured the final result was of secondary interest to Robins, who told The Iron Player: “Against a side top of the division, with the players they’ve got, I thought we made them look more ordinary than they actually are.
“They are a good side, there’s no doubt about it. I’ve got nothing but praise for my players because they’ve grafted and had some quality in there.
“We’ve got into good positions to put crosses in, we just haven’t managed to take our chances. That’s the only downside I can look at, apart from the two injuries to the goalkeepers.”
With the Iron’s shot-stoppers set to be out of action for some time, the 45-year-old’s transfer plans will now be adjusted accordingly to match the situation he faces.
However, Robins remains hopeful of strengthening his squad for the second half of the campaign, and added: “There are a number of things that I’m looking to do, and that I want to do.
“Whether we get there or not in this window, I don’t know. A lot of the frenzy is driven by media, and everybody seems to forget it [the transfer window] closes on the 2nd February before opening on the 9th for us.”
“While I would like to do some permanent business if I could, and if the right player become available for the right money, we’ve got to be careful. I’ve got at least one goalkeeper to bring in now, so that just makes a little bit more work.”
See much more from Mark Robins, Neal Bishop and Andrew Boyce on The Iron Player.